Fall River election takes shape as candidates pull papers

Potential candidates for elected municipal offices have begun taking the first steps to run. Tuesday marked the first day for city residents to begin pulling nomination papers for the intention to run for mayor, City Council or School Committee. As of 4 p.m. the first day brought out potential candidates for all three positions.

Potential candidates for elected municipal offices have begun taking the first steps to run.

Tuesday marked the first day for city residents to begin pulling nomination papers for the intention to run for mayor, City Council or School Committee. As of 4 p.m. the first day brought out potential candidates for all three positions.

Among those jumping into the process immediately was Mayor Will Flanagan along with prospective sixth-floor candidate Joao Costa. Potential council candidates Ronald Cabral, Jasiel Correia II, Paul DaSilva and David Meade were joined by Russell Desbiens, who is considering a spot on the School Committee.

Anyone taking out nomination papers has until July 23 to return the documents with the signatures of at least 50 registered voters. Anyone seeking to take out papers has until July 19 to obtain the papers.

As Flanagan embarks on a campaign seeking a third term as mayor he does so against what now stands as two potential candidates. In addition to Costa, who did not return a message seeking comment Tuesday, retired Army Sgt. Mike Raposa has also announced his intentions to run for the position. Raposa may be familiar to voters having been on the ballot in the past in races for mayor, City Council and state representative, failing to advance past the preliminary or primary stage in each instance.

With the field just starting to form, Flanagan said Tuesday that he plans to eschew the use of paid political consultants to return to a grassroots style of campaign that proved successful in his first run for mayor when he placed second in the preliminary and then topped Cathy Ann Viveiros in the general election. He said his campaign would go full bore regardless of the number or quality of opponents.

“This is going to be a full-blown campaign operation whether I have an opponent or not,” Flanagan said.

Flanagan said the while using paid consultants in 2011 helped to expand his name recognition to areas outside of Fall River, he thought returned to the style that originally got him elected would have its own benefits.

“I’m even better able to have a pulse on the community with the constituency running the campaign,” Flanagan said. “No matter who is opposing me, my campaign style is not going to be altered. I’ll run an aggressive campaign promoting my accomplishments, but also taking feedback on policy. In order to make myself a better mayor, I need that feedback.”

Flanagan said he’s proud of his work during his first three years in office, but said he won’t be satisfied until the changes that are needed to move the city forward are put into effect.